What Is Life?
by Miss Ugly Chick
Summary: When Scipio meets Brittney and Calvin all seems normal to them. But when Britt finds out that she can contorl the six elements and that Scipio is being tortured by her father along with his, what will she and Calvin do? SM/OC
1. First Meeting

**AN: It's me again. This is my first Thief Lord FF so tell me how I am doing. Disclaimer for all chapters: I do not own the Thief Lord. Cornelia Funke does.**

"Calvin, GET OUT!!!" I yell. I run to the computer and start to write a new story.

"_Calvin, where are you??" I scream. I run towards an alley. "Calvin!!!!!! Can you hear me???? Calvin!!! Calvin!!!!!!" I start to panic. I climb up a ladder up to a house. I squint. I see a dark figure near the Cannel. "Calvin!!" He turns. I jump off the house and run towards him._

"_Brittney!!!!!" _

"_Don't ever go running away from me ever again, little man."_

"_Britt? What's that?" I turn to look at what he is pointing at. I pick him up and run away from the thing he was pointing at. My jeans were torn and my top was full of blood, dripping in it. Calvin had torn jeans and a large cut covering his entire back, causing my bloody shirt. "Britt?"_

"_I don't know. But we are running away from it. "I have never been to Venice, but I seemed to know where I was going. I jump a bin, to run straight into a boy. "Boys are all the same." I mutter before going under._

"Good enough for me." I mutter.

_I wake up to find my dog, Stasha, licking me and I was sitting up. "Stai bene Principessa?" I hear a male voice say._

I look at the clock. It is 11:50 already?? "Calvin?"

"What Brittney?"

"Bed." Calvin runs into our room and gets into the bottom bunk. "Night."

"Night."

Stasha paced at the computer. Something wasn't right. Finally she stopped and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, the computer begun to overload.

"Calvin, where are you??" I scream. I just woke up in a place that seemed familiar, but I know I have never been here before. Calvin is here, I can sense it. I run towards an alley. "Calvin!!!!!! Can you hear me???? Calvin!!! Calvin!!!!!!" I start to panic. I climb up a ladder up to a house. I squint. I see a dark figure near the Cannel. "Calvin!!" He turns. I jump off the house and run towards him.

"Brittney!!!!!"

"Don't ever go running away from me ever again, little man."

"Britt? What's that?" I turn to look at what he is pointing at. I pick him up and run away from the thing he was pointing at. My jeans were torn and my top was full of blood, dripping in it. Calvin had torn jeans and a large cut covering his entire back, causing my bloody shirt. "Britt?"

"I don't know. But we are running away from it. "I have never been to Venice, but I seemed to know where I was going. I jump a bin, to run straight into a boy. "Boys are all the same." I mutter before going under.

I wake up to find my dog, Stasha, licking me and I was sitting up. "Stai bene Principessa?" I hear a male voice say. It takes me a minute to turn that into English.

"Sì, sto bene. Do you speak English?" Wait did he say Principessa? As in Princess? Calvin. I look around.

"Yes, I speak English. Are you looking for your brother?" I nod. "Over there."

"Calvin, you okay?"

"Yeah, hit my head hard though." He smiles.

"Sorry about that." I mutter. He rolls his eyes. "Man you're a drama queen." I say.

"I'm a boy."

"Well you could a fooled me." I mumble. I yawn. "What time is it?"

"12." I look at the boy. He has a mask on, like the ones doctors used during the Black Death.

"Where's the rats?? Is the plague back?" I say sarcastically.

"Oh, ha ha ha. I just happen to be the Thief Lord!! Who might you be?"

"Funny, I thought the Thief Lord would be older. I am Principessa and this is Calvin." I say. He tightens his lips. I smile. Then I see his neck. It has purple finger-like bruises on it. I walk up and move his head. "How?" I ask looking at him.

He mutters "Nothing that you need to worry about."

"If someone is abusing a child then you should tell someone." I say softly. I carefully put my hand over the marks. Defiantly an adult's, to large for any child.

"What do you want anyway Thief Lord? You could have run away when you bumped into us." Calvin asked. "Britt?"

I smile at Calvin. "Let's go, he has other business to attend, most likely." I say.

"Where are Mum and Dad?"

"I don't know. But we will find them." Then I say in a quieter tone "Eventually."

"You can stay with my friends!" the boy yells out. I turn. He has taken the mask off. Now I now why he seemed familiar. He was Scipio.

"Where? In an abandoned cinema? There isn't anywhere that is available for us!!" I whisper.

"In a place called the Stella."

When we get there I see a metal door with the words 'No Entry' on them. "Brittney, can I talk to you for a moment?" Scipio pulls me into a corner. "Don't tell anyone that I called you Principessa, please?" I laugh.

"Why, would it ruin your life with these people?" He looks at me. "Cross me heart then." He smiles. "Calvin??" I yell. "Dove è andato, adesso?" I mutter.

"There." I giggle. He has already made friends with Bo. "Everyone, this is Calvin and Brittney."

"Britt." I mutter.

"Bo, Prosper, Riccio, Mosca and Hornet."

"You?" Hornet giggles.

"You forgot to tell her your own name?"

"No!" I nod.

"He did." Hornet cracks. Soon we both are on the floor laughing.

"Scipio." He mutters once we calm down.

"I think I will call you…….. SCIP!!!" I yell.

"Hey that's my nickname for him!!" Bo complains.

"How about we share the nickname?" I ask. He nods.

"Why don't you two come with Prop and me and we will set up your beds?" Hornet asks. When we get away from the main room, I pick up one of the books on the floor. "You're a reader?"

"A big one." I nod.

"Calvin's right." I look in the name part. "Catherina." She whirls around. I giggle. "Can I call you Cat? See if the others find out?" I ask. She giggles and nods.

"From tomorrow." I nod. "Are you an orphan?"

"No. We ran away. Hated home. Parents thought materials where enough to make a child happy." I say. Well it is partly true.

"Right, will they come looking for you?"

"Na, we are from Australia, we 'missed' our flight."

"Well then, I'll leave you to get settled in." Hornet seems nice.

"Britt," Calvin asks. "Are we really going to stay here?"

"Until I can find us a way home." Should I tell him? "Calvin, you now my school books? Well in five of them I wrote stories for FanFiciton, we are in one of them now. Most likely the typed up one." He gasps. "I think _**I**_ control this story." Calvin stays quiet and soon I hear snoring. I feel eyes on me. I turn. "Did you hear anything?"

"Not really no, just 'I control this story.' What are you some villain?" I laugh.

"Reading too many cartoons have we Scip?"

"No."

"Sure, sure."

"I'm leaving. Tomorrow would you please go and sell the stuff to Barbarossa with Prop and Riccio? You can take Calvin."

"Sure. See ya later." I mumble before turning around.

"Buonanotte." Soon I fall asleep.

"BRITTNEY!!!!!!!!! BRITTNEY!!!!!!!!!! BRITTNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAKE UP!!!!!" I hear someone scream.

"Alright, alright I'm up." I moan.

"OUT OF BED!!!"

"Stop screaming!" I yell.

"Well Prop said to get you out before they leave."

"Okay then. Thanks Bo. Tell Prop to give me around five minutes." He skips off. I think that there are two piles of clothes. Soon I am in a dark pair of boot-leg jeans, a shirt with the words "It's Brittney Bitch." on it and a black hoodie. I grab a pair of white sneakers. "I'm coming!" I yell out as I run out.

"Took you long enough."

"Is Calvin coming?"

"Yeah, I'm here." I nod. He is in a blue pair of loose jeans, a shirt that says 'I'm the sexist dude on this planet and a green hoodie. I look down. Blue and green sneakers, how did I know that?? "Let's go." Calvin begins to march off.

I roll my eyes. "Calvin! You don't even know where you are going!!"

"Oh." I laugh. The boys move ahead of Calvin. I put Calvin on my back until we reach the Campo. "More!!"

"No." I say sternly. "Don't touch anything Calvin. This man has a hole in one of his paintings."

"And you know this how??"

"When my parents were here, they had business with Red-head. They told us everything." We walk in.

"Wait in my office." I think this is where Red-beard gives Scipio the job. "I see you have brought in two more little monsters; I hope they don't break anything like your little brother." Calvin looks at me.

"Little? Monsters? One, I am taller than you, hell, Calvin is. So you can't call us little. Two. Monsters?? Aren't they the bad people that stole the lions up on the fountains and churches?" I say. He mutters something I didn't catch.

"What do you have?" Prop puts on a stony face. I see Stasha.

"Why don't you go play with Stasha? This could take a while. Just don't leave the area around the café, and stay away from the 'pigeon man' or a man with a walrus mustache." I ask Calvin. He nods. "See you soon." He runs out. Reddy looks at me. "He has gone to play with my dog." I explain slowly, like he was five. He nods.

"Do you want to tell me what you want for them, or shall I give you my best offer?" He asks. '_Give me your offer.'_

Prop and Riccio look at each other. "Give us your best offer." I say. This is taking to long.

"My offer……" Barbarossa paused. He put his fingertips together and closed his eyes. "Well, I admit, there are a couple of quite decent items here this time. So I offer you," he opens his eyes again. "One hundred thousand lire. And I'm doing you a favor here."

Riccio held his breathe. _'Cakes, cakes, cakes.' _You could almost hear coming out of his head. But I shook my head. "I think five hundred thousand is a good amount. What do you think Prosper?" Barbarossa goes red. Prop nods.

"Sounds far, Britt." I smile at Prop.

"Have you lost your minds?" he bellowed. "Here I am, making you a generous offer-" I interrupt.

"Yeah. SO generous that next time we come all of this will be ten times the amount you gave us." I turn to look outside. Prop looks at me. "The statue that you sold to Barbarossa over there? IT has two more zeros at the end. We want 5 hundred thousand. Or we leave for Bella's. They said they would give us six hundred thousand yesterday. Let's go see if they will today." Prop and I gather the things. I look at Barbarossa when I go to grab the sugar tongs. He grabs it as soon as my hand touches it. His on top of mine. "Can I please take these?" I ask.

"Fine, I will give you six hundred thousand. But you all are to smart for my taste." We give him the stuff and he passes the money to me. I count it and check if it is real. I nod. "Wait!!" He yells as we turn to leave. "I have a client who would like to, say, fetch something for him. My client wants it badly. As far as I have gathered, the item is here, in  
Venice. Should be child's play for-" Barbarossa twists his face into a scornful smile. "-someone who likes to call himself the thief lord, shouldn't it?"

Prop didn't answer. I wonder how would Reddy here would be like when he found out the 'Thief Lord' was the same age as us, about a head taller then him.

"I'll tell him." I say looking at Prop.

"Excellent. I will need his response as soon as possible. My client will set up a meeting after that." Barbarossa looks out the window. "He also has promised the payment will be very generous. He has promised me that."

"Generous, in fake money." I mumble.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." I smile. We turn to leave. When we get inside. "CALVIN!!!" Calvin comes running up. "Why don't you and Riccio go get some cakes over there? I need to talk to Prop." They turn and run to the cake shop.

We walk till we get to an alley. I push him in. "Look over there. See the man that walks like a bull-dog? He is after you and Bo. You're aunt sent him after you." I say. Prop pales. "If I go get Calvin and Riccio and met you here, we can go catch a vaporetto." He nods. I run to the cake shop. "We have to go. Hurry up!" I call in to Calvin.

"Si, grazie signora! We are we going?" Riccio asks.

"This way." We pick up speed. "Come on!!" We run and jump into a boat. I look at Victor and show him my middle finger. He looks at us and walks off. "Victor Getz, private detective. Looks for lost handbags, suitcases, dogs, lizards and now, ran-away children. He almost got you Riccio, didn't he?" Riccio nods. "But he isn't really that fast." I conclude. We get off the next stop. "The rest probably think we took the money and have done a runner. And the boat trip hasn't made our trip any quicker." I sigh. "Come on. Calvin." He jumps on my back and we start to walk. "Stasha!!!!!!" she comes running away from the Cannel. I like how she always follows and I don't need to be worried. I look around. "Crap. In here." We run into an alley. Esther and Max walk past. Prosper looks at me. I walk in front of him when they look in the alley, Riccio smiles. "Gods Riccio, you need to see a dentist!!" I say.

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not." They left. "Quick thinking."

"Well, your teeth were enough to scare them away." I say.

"Why thank you!" I roll my eyes and I run outside. I look. No one here. Quickly we run to the Stella.

"BRITT!!!!!"

"How is my favorite little man Bo?"

"I'm good."

"No I mean Stasha!!!!" Bo frowns. "Did you believe me Bo? Stasha is a girl!!!" Bo giggles.

"How much?" Hornet asks.

"Six hundred thousand. Britt handled it quite well." I blush at Riccios comment.

"It wasn't that hard." I say.

"Yeah, well Scip will be happy that you managed to get THAT much out of him. SIX times the original offer."

"Prop, you could have done better." I say. "Cat and Bo think so."

"Scusi but WHO???" Mosca asks.

"Cat and Bo." I answer. Hornet looks at me and starts to giggle. "What time is it?"

"Three. Scipio will be coming at nine."

"Hopefully." Hornet mumbles. I laugh.

"Is he always late?"

"Pretty much." I roll my eyes.

"Britt, can I talk to you?" Calvin asks.

"Sure."

"Britt. Everything here seams to be like to movie and book. What if-?"

"They have collided because we came here!!" I think. "That means that the merry-go-round does exist. And that it slims the chances of stopping-" I think. If the two worlds have formed into one this slims down the chance of stopping Scipio getting on the –merry-go-round. I sigh. No wonder Prop, Bo and Scip looked the same. They we're the movies version where the others were the book one. "I'm going out for a walk." Hornet looks at me. "Alone." I say then I leave. I walk past Scipio's house. I hear screaming and Scipio runs right into me. I look at him and then I look around him. He pales. I look at his neck. Fresh bruises are forming. "Your father did this?" I ask, pressing lightly. Definitely a male's fingerprints. Right over the old ones. "When?"

"Just then." He sighs. I look at him.

"Non vi preoccupate, I won't tell." I whisper. "Any where else?" He slowly pulls up his pant legs, takes off his jacket and loosens a few buttons. He has purple bruises everywhere. A few scars. He must have had a few broken bones. "Your father did this??" He nods. I think. "If he hurts you again, come over to the Stella. I can heal it." He nods and smiles. "Oh no, here he comes again." I run off. I climb over the wall just in time to see Scipio being pushed into his room. I put a finger to my lips. He nods. I jump down and run to the tree. I climb up it until I am behind a branch and I can see the people from Rome.

"When I separated _**Scipio's**_-" He said his name with hate. "Mother he started acting up. He is a pain and when his uncle comes tomorrow he will be taught proper manners and how to act responsibly. He will not even leave this house." When he turns and walks to the window I see someone I never wanted to see hear. My father.

I climbed up the tree till I am standing right in front of Scipio. "My father's down there please don't say anything about me ion front of him." I whisper. If I am an orphan, there has to be a reason why. "Your fathers coming." I run behind another branch.

"Scipio!!! What are you doing?"

"Lying down?" 'Slap!' I look around the branch. He is on the floor. His eyes say hide. I hear kicks and punches and slaps. Each time, I think about how Scipio must think life is hell. It is. For him at the moment. I hear the door close. "He's gone." I climb down.

"Oh my!!!" I gasp. He has blood dripping down onto the floor. "That's it. You're outta here." I pick him up and run to the balcony. "Ready?" We get on the tree and we run to the wall. I get myself on the top. I hold my hand out to Scipio. He has never looked so pale. "Let's go." He grabs it and jumps. I swing him over and hold him there. "I'm going to let go, can you land safely?" Yes he does this every night. But not like this. He nods. I let go and he lands safely. I jump. I land without a sound. "Let's go." We run to allies. "Oh crap. It's Victor. He is looking for Bo." We run further into the alley. "He knows me. We should leave." I mutter. I grab a ladder and place it up against the wall. "Go." I say as I look around. He goes up and starts to cough up blood. We have to hurry. Victor has caught up. I kick him in the face and he falls down. We are half way up. "Hurry, the snoop is coming back up!" He runs up the ladder. When I get up I look at Scipio and then down at the ladder. He looks confused. I roll my eyes and walk over. Victor is half way up now. I lie down on the roof and take the handles. Victor looks at me.

"Don't you DARE!!" He says. I raise my eyebrows then I push the ladder down. I get up and walk over to Scipio.

"Did he hit your stomach?" He nods and starts to cough up blood again. I reach for my phone. "I stole it off your father when he wasn't looking. I took another one and gave it to Hornet." I call the number.

"Hello?'

"Hornet, Scipio has been hurt. We are on the roof by Casa Voterlini. If you see Victor, then you know that we are close by. Just remember, roof, Casa Voterlini, around five blocks away from Casa Massimo."

"Be there in a few. Bring my first aid kit?"

"And three bottles of water. Not from the Cannel." I add.

"See you soon."

I lie Scipio down. He has a temperature. "Hornet is going to be here soon." I say. I check over his wounds. While I am at it I think about Katara from Avatar. If this really is my story then I can imagine I can heal with the water. Then again, I could be the 'Avatar.' That would be very useful. I think about me being a pro at all the elements while we wait for Hornet.

"BRITT!!!" I hear Hornet scream. I run to the edge.

"Don't scream like that, I thought the snoop had you!!" I yell down.

"The ladders gone!!" I think.

"Throw the water up!!" She chucks it in the air. I concentrate and soon the water is around my hand. "First Aid!!" She throws that up and I get an air bubble around it and make it float up to me. "Stay there!!" I walk over to Scipio. I put the water in the first aid. Not the smartest thing, but oh well. "Swallow." I give him an aspirin. When he swallows I fell to see if the water is in his stomach. When it was I slowly begin to heal it. He gasps. "Does it hurt?" he nods. I smile when the water evaporates into nothing. "Done. Let's work on the outer ones." I cover his neck in water and soon it begins to glow a bright bluely-purple. Soon all of the bruises fade. I stop all the cuts from bleeding by add pressure. "There. Done." I say, packing up.

"Hey!! I can walk!!!" He yells. I roll my eyes. I look down. We are a far way away from another house, far enough that we can't risk jumping. And me being new at the 'controlling the elements' so I don't want to risk floating with the air bubble, that and it would attract attention. I look at Hornet.

"Go find rope or something" I yell down.

"Kay!!!!" She runs off.

"Britt?" Scipio asks. "What is life?"

**TRNASLATIONS: **

**Dove è andato, adesso? Where has he gone, now?**

**Buonanotte. Goodnight. **

**Non vi preoccupate. Don't worry.**

**Principessa. Princess**

**Stai bene? Are you alright?**

**Sì, sto bene. Do you speak English? I'm alright, Do you speak English?**


	2. The Idea

"_Britt?" Scipio asks. "What is life?"_

"I really don't know." I say while looking out for Hornet. "You might need to ask someone else. But I think no one knows what life actually is until find themselves and what they are useful for. No, not stealing from your father to help the others. Something more." I think. Should I tell him about the Merry-Go-Round? "There is a roundabout of the Merciful Sisters. It makes people older, or younger. If you ever see it, don't go on it. Reason being is while being an adult would help, there are other ways of going away from your father. Running to America, Africa, Asia, Australia-" That one I would REALLY like. "-but rushing to grow up? It's just a mistake waiting to happen." I sigh. "Please think about it."

Silence. "It's a tempting offer, I know. I have ridden it. I hated it. It made me one, get wiser and two caused my father to hurt me." Okay, that's not true. It was actually one of my ideas for a story, but my cousin is helper and she said no. "So I got back on it and here I am, a child again. Trust me, 48 hours of being an adult it really sucks."

"I am going on that roundabout then I can help the others and not worry about my father!!"

"Britt!!!!!" I run to the side. "Is this good enough???" She throws up a rope. I tie it to a lamp post.

"GOOD!!!" I yell down. "Let's go!"

"WAIT!!" He grabs hold of my hand. "Backup story??"

"Found you, talked to you and you fell. Three dudes bashed you while they were drunk, now they are in the Cannel or in prison." He nods and slides down the rope. I think about the clothes he wore when he found me and Calvin. When he gets to the bottom he is wearing them. I slide down. "Thanks Cat."

"Welcome." She walks off and I go to Scipio.

"Let's go." He starts to walk off. "How much?"

"From Barbarossa?? 6 hundred thousand. Six times the original offer. Prop handled it quite well." We get to his house. I climb up the wall. I look around before I help Scip up. "Go, he is coming!!" He jumps into his room, I change his clothes in his mind and he lies down. I hide in the tree. His father looks in and walks out. "Have fun at lessons!!!" And I jump over the wall, to a house and I ran up to the top of the roof. I sit down and look over the Cannel. Beautiful, just like Ayers Rock in Australia. I run home and Calvin pulls me into a corner.

"What happened???" I look around.

"Scipio will tell you all tonight." Calvin looks at me. "His father." I whisper in his ear.

"Ah." He mouths. "Scusi, but did you tell him what you did?"

"No. I told him what **Prosper** did." Everyone looks at me.

"You said Prop got the six hundred thousand???"

"Yep!!!!!"

Everyone yells "BRITTNEY!!!!!!" I look at them.

"What????"

Hornet spoke up. "We are telling Scipio the **YOU** got the money, not Prop." I look in her eyes. "No. that wont work." I go into them deeper. "No." I change my eye colour to a dark green. "No." Orange. "No." Purple. Okay, I know that isn't an eye colour, but I think it would look cool. "N- Sure." I grin.

"Told ya it would work." Bo whispered to Prop.

"I need to go pick up something." I say, grabbing a couple of Barbarossa's money. "Come on Calvin." We run out to the book shop. I look under F in fiction. "Here." They had the Thief Lord. I grab that along with Dad's Little Earner and all of Bryce Courtenay's books. Calvin got a couple of comics. I also bought a book on first aid and medicine. When we got home, it was 6. Three more hours. I go to the rope and pulled it twice then one more time a minute later. We were pulled in.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Scipio was on the floor in a ball.

"He fell into the Cannel; he thinks he broke a bone. I can't tell." Hornet whispers. I run over.

"Where?"

"There." They point to his cheat.

"Five bottles of water. Not from the Cannel." I push his chest. Not one, but FIVE of his ribs where broken. He whimpers. Riccio comes up with the water. "Thank you." I cover my hand with the water. I press it down into his chest, it goes in. When he gasps, I stop moving the water. I heal it and when the water dissolves he gets up. I sigh when I see another fist mark on his neck. He looks at me.

"Ow."

"It will hurt for the next couple of days, so no stealing." I tell him, packing up my books and putting them in a box that I found the day before. He follows me up. "Him?"

"Yeah. Mad because I failed a test." He rolls his eyes.

"Scipio!!!!! Riccio has something he wants to tell you!!" Hornet screamed.

"Scipio, one of Barbarossa's clients wants us to steal something. Said that they would pay huge money for it." Riccio said.

"I don't think we should do it."

"And why not Britt?" Scipio looks at me.

"One, no one here knows what the difference between fake and real money and two I don't trust Barbarossa. He is a fat, retarded piece of shit and that's putting it lightly." I stare at the cover of one of my books.

"Anything else you like to put?" Prop asks.

"Unless it involves a lot of swearing, no." I get up and go out the door and on to the roof. I open my book and read a little. Barbarossa will break the merry-go-round and that will be the end of it. I turn when I hear footsteps, Scipio and Calvin. I laugh. Calvin said that he hated The Thief Lord when I brought the movie home when he was sick. He said the only reason I brought it was because I thought the boys were hot. No I didn't. I really like the book at the movie wasn't half bad to be honest. I shut the book and stare to the cannel, why Venice is basically a island with rivers instead of roads is a question I will always want to find an answer for.

"Britt."

"Yeah Calvin."

"Why don't you want us to take the job?"

"Stealing for Barbarossa with real money is one thing, but getting paid by the Conte with _FAKE_ money the Barbarossa knows about is another. Who ants to go into a place and pay for something then to get yelled at because they have fake money???? The Conte isn't a real Conte anyways. Why should we do it???"

"How do you know he isn't a real Conte??" Scipio asks.

"Well, a Conte would have most likely paid for the wing and two why go to so much trouble for a wing??? Oh that right, because it is magical." I say sarcastically. I sigh. "Here, read this. It will explain everything." I pass Scipio the book and climb down the roof. It's only seven but I go to bed with a book. When Scipio comes into the cinema and hour later he looks over at me. He seems rather pale and I nod. He has read it.

"I changed my mind." I yell down to Hornet. "You guys can do the robbery, but I'm not tagging along." I jump down onto the ground. "But I will come to met the Conte and for the switch. One thing, I think it would be safe if we didn't go in one line or all together. Leave at different times and we will met and the place he wants us to go." I grab my book and I throw it up onto my bed.

"BULLSEYE!!!" Calvin yells. I roll my eyes.

"So who got the six hundred thousand?" Scipio asks. I look over everyone. They all smile.

"BRITTNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I groan.

"You just HAD to do that????? I didn't even liked doing it!"

"Really? You seemed to be having the time of your life!!"

"Acting Riccio, acting. Maybe you have heard of it? It's what liars, actors and actresses do."

"Right. Still think you liked it." I roll my eyes. This story is really not going well. Maybe if…. No. Calvin likes it here; I am not going to ruin his fun. I can ruin mine though can't I?

"Right, sure you did." Problem though, how can I leave without having anyone notice me??? Thursday. Victor will get hurt by Hornet and then I can get away, hopefully no one will notice. Scipio can get on the merry-go-round, Calvin can have a life and I won't be breathing down everyone's back. There. All worked out. "Do you want me to go tell Barbarossa your answer tomorrow???? I'm not doing anything." I offer.

"No, Riccio can." Calvin automatically says.

"JLITB." I say.

"Si."

"Fine then." I say looking at Scipio. "Who do you want to tell Barbarossa?" I flick my eyes to the mattress I am staying on then back to Scipio.

"Riccio." I smile. "And Prosper." I giggle.

"JLINM." Calvin laughs.

"That's right."

"Brittney, can I speak to you??" I walk over to the corner with Scipio. "One, JLITB and JLITM?? Two. What were you thinking when Riccio said that you liked getting money out of Barbarossa?"

"JLITB means Just Like In The Book and JLITM mans Just Like In The Movie and you won't find out till Thursday." I turn on my heels. "Some people call them players but I'm far from terrified  
Somehow I'm drawn to danger and have been all my life  
It feels my heart's divided halfway between wrong and right  
I know I'm playing with fire but I don't mind

Yeah, the bad boys are always catching my eye,  
I said the bad boys are always spinning in my mind,  
Even though I know they're no good for me it's the risk I take for the chemistry,  
With the bad boys always catching my eye

Ooooah, bad boys." I sing while skipping to the centre of the room spinning around twice.

"Britt." Calvin says before I go into the second verse. "How much coffee??"

"Two ice, large, extra caffeine." I giggle.

"You know you can't have caffeine."

"Why?" Bo asks.

"Because three hours later, she goes insane." I twirl around again. "See??"

"It only gets worse!!" I warn. Calvin looks at me. "Outside???"

"Oh yeah."

"Darn you!!" I run outside, doing cartwheels and flips. When outside I do a handstand and close my eyes. I lean my legs against the wall and stop, and then I pull one leg down followed by the other. "The bad boys always catch my eyes." I sing and run off, holding the pole, twirling around it. I jump up onto the seats, skipping down it. "La, la, la, la" I sing to Hey Mama. I stop when I see Ida's house. I walk up. She is there, having a smoke. I skip past doing a cartwheel. I climb up the stairs, holding the rails, dropping down on my ass hard. "Shit, you mother fucking ghost come back here!!" I run up the stairs, well I would of if Ida didn't hold me down.

"Have you been drinking??"

"No signora. I am always like this when I have too much caffeine. COME BACK HERE! I scream. "Humph." I start to cry. "He got away. Did you know I see dead people??" She looks at me.

"You are staying with me tonight." I look and see Scipio and Calvin standing by a pole and Hornet with Prop and Bo on a bridge. I turn and on a roof are Mosca and Riccio. All wide eyed, except Calvin.

"Why??? I am a good girl. I never hurt you. DO HURT ME!!!!!!!" At this point Calvin comes up, I shake my head. "Can I go home?? My parents would be worried. Oh hang on." I pretend that I am thinking. "No they want me back. To busy fighting over who gets which child when they separate."

"Okay enough!" Hornet comes over. "Britt, do you really believe all that??? Sorry signora, my cousins parents aren't good role models, that and she is on a caffeine high. Sorry if she caused you any trouble. Brittney, come stay with me for tonight, you can go back to your parents tomorrow." For some reason, I got down my high before six hours where up.

"Fine." I sigh. "Can we NOT stay up though?" I ask get up and yawning. "I think doing all of that has made me tired. Your parents won't be happy."

"I know." She sighs.

"Thank you signora." I say, waving while I run to the bridge. I do another cartwheel, right into the cannel. I swim out, smiling. Hornet picks me up and I giggle. "I think the high is back!!" I run off, grabbing a pole and spinning around it. "Yeah, the bad boys are always catching my eye,  
I said the bad boys are always spinning in my mind,  
Even though I know they're no good for me it's the risk I take for the chemistry,  
With the bad boys always catching my eye

Ooooah, bad boys." I swirl my hips around and fall onto the floor on my ass. "Ow." But I jump up and run off to a bridge, three away from anyone else. I kick numerous times, sending fire out. I stomp and kick, sending a large rock to the office window of Barbarossa and Casa Massimo. "Boy you know that I'm gone tipsy!!!" I sing then saying. "Watch me. When my bottle pop, when my bottle pop, when my bottle pop, when my bottle pop, shake me." I walk over the bridge and just outside of the Campo. I look up and I see Casa Montia, third richest family in Venice. I climb up the wall, one leg on either side, and look over to the others. Scipio has his eyes wide opened, Calvin is smiling, Hornet, Bo and Prop are just staring and Mosca and Riccio are running up.

"Can we come??" They whisper. I shake my head and jump the wall. I climb to the top window, I climb in. Right into the study, I grab three gold hairpieces, a gold statue of a cat with rubies for eyes, pearl necklaces, jewelry box with gems inside and a sapphire ring. I go into the next room; it's a room full of wonderful treasures. I take a few medallions and gold coins, most likely from Ancient Rome. I see a medium statue, Aphrodite with pearl earrings, ruby bracelets, diamond eyes and sapphire rings. I roll my eyes, dramatically. Who NEEDS that much??? Oh, that's right. Show offs. I grab that and I run to the study and grab the other stuff and I jump out of the window. I land next to Scipio.

"Let's go, **BEFORE** we get caught!!!" I whisper. He nods and we run. I grab the ring and put it on my finger. When we get to the Stella, everyone looks at me.

"So you're a thief???" Bo asks. I squat.

"No, just when I am on a high, so not very often." I ruffle his hair. "Hornet, can you come here please??" She comes over. "I got these and I wonder if you would like them???" I pull out two of the hairpieces. She just stares. I smile and put them in her hair. "There." She spins, they look lovely in her hair. Prop is just staring. I whisper to Hornet "Look at Prop." She turns to look and blushes. I start to sing "Prosper and Hornet sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S, ow!!!! BO!!!" I yell.

"What??? I hate that song!!" I look at Hornet and Prop.

"OMFG!!!!!!! You to ARE dating!!!!" I scream. Now they are scarlet!! I laugh.

"Britt!!!" Calvin smirks. I widen my eyes.

"Yes????"

"Britt loves Scipio, Scipio looooves Britt!!!" I look at him. Scipio is blushing, I'm not.

"Actually Calvin, me no like anyone here." I pack up the loot and I go up to Calvin. I tickle him until he is on the floor. "Good." I pick him up and throw him over my back, like a sack of potatoes. "Bed." He screams and kicks and yells how unfair I am. I just climb up the stairs and fall onto the bed.

"HEY!!!!!!!!!" I get him off my shoulder. He bit me. I call some water into my hand. "That's it, no more playing around." I throw the water at him and sit on the pole thing. He throws it back. I giggle as I lean back and fall down. I do a flip and land on my feet. He sends ow fire. I get rid of it immediately. "No fire." He smirks and throws down more. I fly up and put him down in the lock down position.

"GET OFF!!!"

"NO more fire!! Do you want to **die**????" I yell shaking him. "This is NOT a talent you can play with. It is a protection, that's why we have it." Now I am REALLY pissed. "No more." I bit him and sent some venom into him, he was out in seconds. I jump down.

"Britt??" Bo says, shaking. I go up and hold his shoulder, calming him down. "What was that???"

"When he gets, worked up I suppose, he does, ummm, that." Scipio looks at me. Defiantly, I need to leave on Thursday. "Can I go with Riccio to deliver this???" Scipio nods. I smile. He turns to leave. I think. What could of sent Calvin to go that mad??? We go to bed when he leaves, but he turned around to look at me. I start to cry. "Scipio?" He nods. "Be careful." He smiles. I go up and lie down next to Calvin. "Sorry."

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

I wake up at 6. Riccio is ready, so I get ready quickly. Apparently Barbarossa's opens at 7, but we needed to go shopping. We run to the bakery, and after a life time of persuading we get some cakes. Then we go down to Barbarossa's. "What is the Thief Lord's answer??"

"Yes. And we have something for you." I pull out all of the items. "We want……" Double??? "14 hundred thousand." I love the look on his face.

"WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! ARE YOU NUTS???" I smile.

"Give me your best offer."

He looks at each item. "5 hundred thousand."

"10."

"6"

"9"

"650."

"850."

"7."

I look at each item. "8 and we have a deal." He nods. Riccio looks at me as Barbarossa passes my 8 hundred thousand. I smile as I grab it from him. "I know where to meet the Conte." I grab the info off of him. "Read it while you were busy with other clients." We walk off.

"You really wanted 14 hundred thousand?" Riccio asks.

"No, there is a trick that if you double the amount you want then they will half it, if not you go down one till you get what you want. I changed my mind because I forgot about the Aphrodite statue. We should have kept it." We are walking down by the Cannel now. I wave to Calvin. He runs up with Stasha. I barley see her now, but she still hangs out with us. "Let's go." I turn. "Riccio, he's here again." Riccio turns and we brake into a sprint. "Thank God Prop isn't here." I yell as we turn into an alley. I climb up a ladder and Calvin runs down another alley. Riccio just stands there.

"You looking for me??" He asks. Victor nods and Riccio climbs up the ladder. When he reaches the top, I pull it up. Victor is still on the ground. I wave.

"STASHA!!!" Calvin yells from the corner.

"YOU!!!" Victor yells. He saw Calvin.

"Yep I'm Bo." I smile. Calvin has turned his body into Bo.

"It's Calvin, don't worry." I tell Riccio.

"Stasha!!!" Stasha runs and jumps onto Victor. "SIT!!" I yell. "Calvin you have had your fun, lets go." Calvin turns his body back. I look down. Still the fat me. I stand next to Victor and I change to have long, black hair, a long face, green eyes, hourglass figure and a very pale body. "Don't tell anyone. Let's go." We get up and run to the Stella. Hornet opens the door.

"Who's that??? Where's Britt?"

"Hey Cat. I changed my body." I explain.

"Well, Scipio is back."

"For what???"

"Nothing. Just a visit."

"Ah." I say as we walk in. "We need to meet the Conte at the confessional at 3 tomorrow. You have to be there." Scipio looks at me. "I told the Conte last night that you have taken the job, that's how I know." He nods.

"You are???"

"Britt." I look down. "Changed my body." I mumble. I lift my head and giggle. "Gone ahead of time Victor??" I whisper. "Calvin. He has told them they have left." He laughs.

"And??"

"Didn't believe them. Had a funny way of explaining it too. Not like to book or movie. 'We don't believe you because you have barley done anything. We are sending out flyers tomorrow and you better find them before my husband does. Or you *beeeeeeep*ing better get out of town." I smile. "Not like Esther at all." Calvin laughs.

"OOC???"

"YEP!!!! Always do with most of my stories."

I grin and I turn to Scipio. "Yes??" I shake my head.

"I can feel your eyes on me you know. Don't brake into song Calvin." I warn. "What do you want???"

"Nothing." I turn and think about his father. Out of the corner of my eye I see a bruise right around his neck. Dotter Massimo must have choked him. I frown. He is killing him. The ass. I go up onto the roof and look at the church that we are going to go meet the Conte at. I could say I wanted to pray, I am a Christian. I pray every now and again, normally on a Sunday. I smile. Then I can go out the back way, seeing the door it goes into an alley, right where Victor will be. I will have to be careful. I turn and go back inside.

"The Conte says you can bring anyone you want, but you have to be there." I say before going out to walk along the bridges. I do this often because I want to remember this place. And it will help if I know the city when I leave tomorrow. I will write a letter and give it to Scipio to give the others later.

**Everyone,**

**I think it maybe easier if I don't tag along anymore. I might lose it and hurt everyone. Please take care of Calvin and Stasha. I hope you all can understand. Don't come looking for me, you wont find me. Esther will be gone by next week, promise.**

**Britt.**

There. And one for Victor.

**Victor,**

**If you want to get rid of Esther and Max, meet me at Casa Voterlini, I can explain in the alleys there. Do that after you have seen Bo and Prosper at the Campo, don't take pictures, you wont need them.**

**Britt.**

All set. Now I just need to sleep and get ready for tomorrow.

**AN: All over the place I know, but I want to make this a 10 chapter story. ****-_-. This is going to take forever. So please review. M.U.C**


	3. AN

_**AN: Okay then. I have officail decided to do one more chapter for each thing I am writing the I am going to finish them off in the following order:**_

_**Bakugan Battle Brawlers**_

_**The Thief Lord**_

_**Avatar**_

_**NCIS**_

_**Harry Potter**_

_**Law and Order SVU (I have written it out, just need to get it typed up.)**_

_**Twilight**_

_**Ect ect. I might start a new one before Law and Order and Twilight, I don't know. Okay then. L8r. M.U.C**_


	4. Deciding What To Do

"Britt, wake u." Calvin shakes me. I sigh. "We have to go in a minute"

"Okay, give me a sec." I say. I get up and change my body to the green eyed, pale, skinny person I was yesterday. I am wearing skinny leg jeans, a top that says 'I know I hate the world but I love people.' My father got me that. I am wearing Nike white sneakers. I update my letter to the guys.

**Everyone,**

**I think it maybe easier if I don't tag along anymore. I might lose it and hurt everyone. Please take care of Calvin and Stasha. I hope you all can understand. Don't come looking for me, you wont find me. Esther will be gone by next week, promise. And I will be with rather then Bo, in his body and by he time she finds out it is me, it will be too late. Take care all.**

**Britt.**

I pick it up and give it to Hornet.

"When you come back here, open it, but not before. Follow it, don't disobey it." She nods. I smile and hug her. "Thanks."

"Let's GO!!!!"

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

When we get to the church Scipio tells everyone that Prop, Mosca and myself have to go in. I smile.

"See you." I call.

"I didn't know you where Catholic." Scipio says when I bow to the Tabernacle.

"I'm not. Christian." I say.

We enter a small room.

(Sometime after the meeting where I stay quiet and still.)

"Whoa, you can count fast Britt."

"Why thank you Mosca."

I open the basket.

"Messenger Pigeon."

"Right."

"Can I stay here? I feel… safe here." I ask.

"Sure, met you at the Stella." They leave. I sit down.

"Lord, what do I do?? I don't want to leave but it will keep me safe, please lead me in the right direction." I get up and leave through the alley door. Then I run to Victors and push the note under his door and wait outside. The door opens.

"Why hello!" He pulls me in.

"What do you say?? Let Bo have a life with Prop." I say.

"It may work."

"Just don't tell the others, please. They won't know."

"Okay, I will call them now."

I change into Bo, with scruffy jeans and a hoodie.

"Wow, you look identical."

"Part of the plan Victor, part of the plan." I say. My mind wanders off to the others. What will happen when I leave? Will Calvin be alright? Will Scipio go on the merry-go-round? I will never know.

"Their coming." Victor says proudly, breaking my thoughts.

"AWSOME!!!" I cry. "Can you not chase after Bo and Prop after this? It would mean a lot to me. And if you see them, don't tell them what I have decided to do. Please?" He smiles.

"You are doing a great deed for your friends. I will see what I can do." Then he frowns. "What are you going to do when you are with Esther?"

"Be bored." I smirk. "Sorry about the ladder, my friend was hurt when that happened and I can get….. over protective with that sort of thing."

"Right, it cost me a trip to the doctors and the chemist."

"Sorry." I whine.

"They will be here in twenty minutes, why don't you make yourself comfortable?" He says. I settle into a chair in front of his desk.

"I don't want to do this." I whisper. Victor looks at me. "But I have too." I start to cry.

"Why are you doing this then?"

"I don't want my heart to brake again and I don't want to hurt anyone. They will get along better without me." I sigh. "And stupid love would get into the way of my life AGAIN!!"

"Wait, you are like 13. How many boyfriends have you had?"

I smile "At least five, all retards I guess." He smiles. I start to drift off.

Last thing I hears I don't tin you should do this."

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

'Knock, knock.' I sit up and curl into a ball.

"Don't want to go!" I scream like Bo would. Victor smiles.

"Ah, Mrs. Hartlieb. Bo is in here."

"NO, NO, NO!!!" I scream.

"Bo calm down!! Thank you Mr. Getz. Hope to see you soon." She picks me up.

"She doesn't." I mouth.

"I know." He smiles.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

I sigh.

"Why don't you eat your entire sundae? It's all for you." Mr. Hartlieb says.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" I ask politely.

"Very well dear." Mrs. Hartlieb says. I get up and run to outside the restaurant.

"I can't stand this." I mutter to myself. I look up. Hornet, Bo, Prop and Scipio are all there. I turn and run back. "Oh God!!!" I walk over to the Hartliebs. "Full." I mutter.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

'Knock, knock' I turn. Prop, Bo, Scipio, Mosca, Hornet and Riccio are here. I look behind the door.

"What?" I ask. "I'm tired and I am sure Bo doesn't want to live with his Aunt." Calvin jumps up.

"Well I don't want to leave." He frowns. "It's my fault isn't it?"

"No, sometimes in life you need to make decisions that you don't agree with. Like this. It is MY decision; no one forced me to make it. Now good night." I start to close the door but Scipio stopped it.

"You are going home with us tonight." He says.

"Why should I R.B? I will come back, escape from the boat something, I will come back. Venice is too beautiful to leave." I grin. "That and I love the Stella."

"Why won't you stay?"

"Well, I have become a Jane Doe..." I wink at Calvin.

"You are a missing person." He gasps. "You said you would NEVER do that. Not even after what HE did to you!!"

"Shut your mouth!" I say. I transform into my normal self. "I know, but things change, just like me." I breathe out and calm down, closing my eyes. Something is not right.

"Britt?"

"Victor!!" I cry out.

"I'm Mosca, remember??"

"No, Victor is in trouble." I jump out, now in skinny leg jeans, black, and a fitted black short sleeve top. Black sneakers and a black cap complete it all. "Later." I run.

"Hey!!! YOU!!!" I turn and smirk. Scipio's father is looking for him and has just spotted me.

"Yes??" I ask sweetly.

"Is your father Signor Vinti?" (AN: Random name!!!)

"No? Who is he??"

He shows me a picture. "Him." I look up and kick him.

"On the run again are we Britt?" Scip yells.

"Depends. GO!!!! RBF!!!!" Calvin pales and whispers something to Scipio. He nods and leaves. "GO CALVIN!!" I run and leap over the wall.

"How???" Bo asks. It was rather tall.

"Don't ask." We keep on running. When we get to an alley Calvin nods at me. I smirk.

"OI!!! Over here!!!" I make my voice travel to the opposite alley. I bob down and my smirk goes wider then before. "Not there!!! HERE!!!" I travel my voice at least five alleys to the left. I look at Calvin. "It's The Fear?? Within Temptation?" He nods. I get up and run over some roofs and I stop twenty houses later. I stand side one, arms crossed and leaning against the wall, I cross my legs over.

"It waits for the day  
I will let it out  
Give it a reason  
To give its might

I fear who I am becoming  
I feel that I'm loosing the struggle within  
I can't no longer restrain it  
My strength it is fading  
I have to give in

:  
(It's the fear)  
Fear of the dark is growing inside of me  
That one day will come to life  
(Have to save)  
To save my beloved  
There is no escape  
Because my fate is horror and doom

Hold down your head now  
Just let me pass by  
Don't feed my fear  
If you don't want it out

I fear who I am becoming  
I feel that I'm loosing all beauty within  
I can't no longer restrain it  
My strength it is fading  
I have to give in

(It's the fear)  
Fear of the dark is growing inside of me  
That one day will come to life  
(Have to save)  
To save my beloved  
There is no escape  
Because my fate is horror and doom

Long ago it came to me  
And ever since that day  
Infected with its rage  
But it ends today

(It's the fear)  
Fear of the dark is growing inside of me  
That one day will come to life  
(Have to save)  
To save my beloved  
There is no escape  
Because my fate is horror and doom"

"There!!" He yells. I smirk and disappear in a cloud of black smoke. I am leaning on the side, my shoulder on the wall, arms and legs crossed.

"Sup?" I say. Then I disappear into another alley, in the same position. "What's wrong?" Disappear and I reappear in the first position, right behind him. "Can't catch a girl?" I appear behind him standing properly. "Or are you just scared..." disappear, appear up on the first roof "Of little old me?" I smile as I appear in front of him. "Let's play a game. Chase. You go home and call the police and I stay here. It's your job to catch me."

"Why don't you come home with me? I have a boy you could play with."

"What?? The one you abuse?? I am seen you hit him, hurt him and abuse him in one of the worse way possible."

"What??"

"Divorcing then killing his mother." I frown. "And I know from experience. Also you physically and metal and verbally abuse him. Make him look bad in front of your guests? You're nothing but a big show off!"

He laughs. "Is that the best you can come with?"

"No. But I am trying to cut down on the swearing a bit. Later." I disappear. "God he is annoying." I mutter to Scipio. "Victor." I run towards his apartment. "Where?" I ask Riccio.

"Stella." Things are speeding up. I run to the Stella.

"VICTOR!!!" I turn. "Let me speak to him. Alone." I walk in. "Victor, I need you to do me another favor. Don't tell the others about Scipio." I look straight into his eyes. "Please?" He nods. "If you stay quiet I can get rid of that rag." He nods really fast. I take it out and he spits behind him.

"Esther?"

"Can go to hell." I say. Then his mobile rings.

"HE RAN AWAY AGAIN!!! WE DO NOT WANT HIM BACK!!!" I hear a scream, then a dial tone.

"Bo's off your hands." I get up. "Esther no longer wants Bo." I smile and turn.

"Is it true, what they say? Are we too blind to find a way?  
Fear of the unknown cloud our hearts today  
Come into my world; see through my eyes  
Try to understand, don't want to lose what we have

We've been dreaming but who can deny  
It's the best way of living between the truth and the lies

See who I am; break through the surface  
Reach for my hand; let's show them that we can  
Free our minds and find a way, the world is in our hands  
This is not the end

Fear is withering the soul at the point of no return  
We must be the change we wish to see  
I'll come into your world, see through your eyes  
I'll try to understand before we lose what we have

We just can't stop believing 'cause we have to try  
We can rise above the truth and their lies

See who I am; break through the surface  
Reach for my hand; let's show them that we can  
Free our minds and find a way, the world is in our hands

See who I am; break through the surface  
Reach for my hand; let's show them that we can  
Free our minds and find a way, the world is in our hands  
This is not the end

Hear the silence preaching my blame  
Will our strength remain if their power reigns?

See who I am; break through the surface  
Reach for my hand; let's show them that we can  
Free our minds and find a way, the world is in our hands

See who I am; break through the surface  
Reach for my hand; let's show them that we can  
Free our minds and find a way, the world is in our hands  
This is not the end" I grin to Calvin.

"You are into Emo music??"

"You are as bad as Him. It is no Emo music, but Metal. Duh!!!" I say, rolling my eyes. "So what's going to happen?"

"Who votes that Britt stays?" No hands. "Leave?" Everyone.

"Later then!!" I walk out. "Oh, and Scipio, you might want to tell them what RB actually means. And where the scars come from. And let Victor go." I walk out of the side door.

_**AN: sorry for the short chapt. The next time I write it will be in Calvin' POV. Britt isn't out of the picture, but I may knock this off for a few months. Until I have finished one of my stories. Until then, read and review!!!!!! M.U.C**_


End file.
